english

Allion dashboard watch (circa 1915)

This week we are able to go back in time with this dashboard watch from 1914/1918. It is in fact a pocket watch that pilots at that time used to attach to the dashboard, but which could also be attached to their flying suit at either the wrist or thigh using straps. This attachment method was made possible by a leather case and four eyelets.


One can sometimes find this type of watch in various states of repair and more often that not in a pitiful condition. It is also exceptional to find a complete watch, i.e. with its leather casing. In this case not only does the watch have its casing, but it is also in a very good condition and the leather, which is lined with felt, remains very supple.


One of the (extremely) former owners, who was very concerned with trying to conceal its origins, thought it would be better to hide the inscriptions which read “Allion à Versailles” (Allion from Versailles) and “Propriété de l'Aviation Militaire” (Military aviation property) under a bit of black paint. This has been carefully cleaned and one can once more read these inscriptions although they are less visible than one would like. This detail however does not alter the fact that this is an historic object, particularly considering that the watch has been serviced and functions perfectly !

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Allion dashboard watch WWI  (circa 1915)
Clock diameter 6.5 cm (2"9/16) - Leather case diameter 10 cm (3"15/16)
Price : Sold

Here is an imposing object, as much by its volume as by its weight and we couldn’t really say it if is a collector’s item or a decorative object. This ejection seat is a Martin Baker MK2 Type 4BSB dated the 3rd November 1967 and which was used to equip the English Electric Lightning.

This type of object does not generally come up for sale in this way since they are very much sought after. As a result they tend to change hands between collectors, particularly when they are whole as in this case. Nevertheless it has to be said that for obvious safety reasons and for its decommissioning, the seat is no longer equipped with its explosive charge and which means also that the cannon is not present at the back of the seat. This doesn’t detract from this object since it still has its parachutes, the complete harness system, the ejection handles, the yellow survival pack (which is empty), a cushion, other small accessories and above all its original identification tag. Of course having being in an airplane that has flown, it has a wonderful patina that comes from use.

For those of us who are avid fans of military aviation, what can be more tempting that an ejection seat? So whether it is to be used to complete the cabin of a flight simulator, or to add to a collection, this object can only bring happiness to the buyer!

__________

Martin Baker MK2 Type 4BSB ejection seat  (circa 1963)
Price :  Sold

Amongst the new objects this September, here is one which merits having a few lines dedicated to it. This dashboard watch used to equip English Fairey Swordfish airplanes between the two World Wars. These airplanes were used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

The watch looks similar to French pilots' watches from the First World War. Yet this watch is more complex since it can also be used for navigation purposes. In fact the dial carries two types of inscriptions :
- The first bezel (fixed) has black writing on a white background and shows the time in Roman numerals topped by the second hand,
- The second rotating bezel has white writing on a black background and is graduated from 0 – 360 degrees for navigation purposes. The notched bezel locks and unlocks using a small knob found just above the watch next to the winder. It is only accessible once the watch has been taken out of its holder.

The holder is made up of several pieces and is made in a two-coloured bakelite and inscribed with “Time of Beacon North  seconds”. A screw allows the watch to be taken out of its holder which has a rubber protection obviously to protect it from vibrations.

The clock is in excellent condition and works perfectly. On the back of the case are the initials “H^S4” which defines it is a dashboard mounted watch. Only the bakelite holder has a small piece missing at the back and a few small cracks. Nevertheless is a very fine object and taken as a whole piece, it is particularly rare.

__________

Golay & Sons Ltd  Lodon - Montre de bord (circa 1944)
Outer ring diameter : 82 mm (16" 9/16) - Watch diameter : 62 mm (16" 9/16)
Price : Euros 450 (Currency assistant)

The name “Latécoère” cannot be said without also thinking of “Mermoz” and their great adventure in the Aeropostale. For fans of air transport and Air France, this name conjures up images of the Latécoère 631 – the largest sea plane ever built and used at that time for passenger transport.

But Latécoère wasn’t just concerned with civil aviation. The company also produced, with less success, military airplanes. The best known being undoubtedly the Latécoère 298, which from 1938 was to be found in several Naval Aviation squadrons in differing versions. This was the most built French seaplane ever built with about a hundred being produced.

Here is a presentation model created for the manufacturer circa 1936 and it is a real museum piece. The model is made from cast aluminium and has “Latécoère 298” on the base as well as the rudder. It is a representation of the prototype which led to the first version, the 298-A, a torpedo seaplane built for a team of three men. The model is shown here with its team under the fuselage.

Clic to enlarge

Taking into account its origin, the shape of the model is both simple and accurate. It is a very beautiful object with a contemporary shape and its creation has an undeniably Art Deco feel about it …

__________

Latécoère 298 - Factory model 1:30  (circa 1936)
Wingspan 51.5 cm (20" 1/4), length 42 cm (16" 9/16)

When one thinks about the word “warbird”, one thinks of American, English, German or even Japanese airplanes and only rarely of French airplanes. One has to remember that those which survived, from the time of the French occupation to the French liberation, were all or practically all destroyed after the end of the war.

Fighters and bombers such as those by Bloch, Amiot et Olivier, Bréguet and others are real dinosaurs from the 20^th century – they all quickly disappeared from the surface of the Earth. The comparison is not an exaggeration when one considers that at only two or at most three fingers of a hand are necessary to count the rare number of complete machines on display. The rest only exist in small fragments or as a few precious scattered pieces that are jealously guarded by their owners.

Bearing all this in mind it is with great interest and no small amount of emotion that we announce having taken possession of a piece of a French airplane from the battle of France. The pleasure is even greater since this piece is a good size and it still has its original colours. These luckily are not the Vichy yellow and red which could have been the case for this piece, which is a part of the engine cowl from a Breguet 693.

Apart from its origin, this piece is interesting since it still has its original blue colour, its size is significant and it is in good condition with its cowl flaps still present and moving.

It is not a decorative piece by any means but that doesn’t matter – above all it is a relic, comparable to a tail prop of a Bloch 155, which unless I am mistaken, is on display at the Musée de l'Armée de l'Hôtel des Invalides (the Army Museum in Paris).

__________

Engine cowl from a Bréguet Br 693
Planes : length 102 cm (40.16"), width 110 cm (43.31")
Price : Sold

Martin Baker MK2 ejection seat

Here is an imposing object, as much by its volume as by its weight and we couldn’t really say it if is a collector’s item or a decorative object. This ejection seat is a Martin Baker MK2 Type 4BSB dated the 3rd November 1967 and which was used to equip the English Electric Lightning.

This type of object does not generally come up for sale in this way since they are very much sought after. As a result they tend to change hands between collectors, particularly when they are whole as in this case. Nevertheless it has to be said that for obvious safety reasons and for its decommissioning, the seat is no longer equipped with its explosive charge and which means also that the cannon is not present at the back of the seat. This doesn’t detract from this object since it still has its parachutes, the complete harness system, the ejection handles, the yellow survival pack (which is empty), a cushion, other small accessories and above all its original identification tag. Of course having being in an airplane that has flown, it has a wonderful patina that comes from use.

For those of us who are avid fans of military aviation, what can be more tempting that an ejection seat? So whether it is to be used to complete the cabin of a flight simulator, or to add to a collection, this object can only bring happiness to the buyer!

__________

Martin Baker MK2 Type 4BSB ejection seat  (circa 1963)
Price :  Sold

Amongst the new objects this September, here is one which merits having a few lines dedicated to it. This dashboard watch used to equip English Fairey Swordfish airplanes between the two World Wars. These airplanes were used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

The watch looks similar to French pilots' watches from the First World War. Yet this watch is more complex since it can also be used for navigation purposes. In fact the dial carries two types of inscriptions :
- The first bezel (fixed) has black writing on a white background and shows the time in Roman numerals topped by the second hand,
- The second rotating bezel has white writing on a black background and is graduated from 0 – 360 degrees for navigation purposes. The notched bezel locks and unlocks using a small knob found just above the watch next to the winder. It is only accessible once the watch has been taken out of its holder.

The holder is made up of several pieces and is made in a two-coloured bakelite and inscribed with “Time of Beacon North  seconds”. A screw allows the watch to be taken out of its holder which has a rubber protection obviously to protect it from vibrations.

The clock is in excellent condition and works perfectly. On the back of the case are the initials “H^S4” which defines it is a dashboard mounted watch. Only the bakelite holder has a small piece missing at the back and a few small cracks. Nevertheless is a very fine object and taken as a whole piece, it is particularly rare.

__________

Golay & Sons Ltd  Lodon - Montre de bord (circa 1944)
Outer ring diameter : 82 mm (16" 9/16) - Watch diameter : 62 mm (16" 9/16)
Price : Euros 450 (Currency assistant)

The name “Latécoère” cannot be said without also thinking of “Mermoz” and their great adventure in the Aeropostale. For fans of air transport and Air France, this name conjures up images of the Latécoère 631 – the largest sea plane ever built and used at that time for passenger transport.

But Latécoère wasn’t just concerned with civil aviation. The company also produced, with less success, military airplanes. The best known being undoubtedly the Latécoère 298, which from 1938 was to be found in several Naval Aviation squadrons in differing versions. This was the most built French seaplane ever built with about a hundred being produced.

Here is a presentation model created for the manufacturer circa 1936 and it is a real museum piece. The model is made from cast aluminium and has “Latécoère 298” on the base as well as the rudder. It is a representation of the prototype which led to the first version, the 298-A, a torpedo seaplane built for a team of three men. The model is shown here with its team under the fuselage.

Clic to enlarge

Taking into account its origin, the shape of the model is both simple and accurate. It is a very beautiful object with a contemporary shape and its creation has an undeniably Art Deco feel about it …

__________

Latécoère 298 - Factory model 1:30  (circa 1936)
Wingspan 51.5 cm (20" 1/4), length 42 cm (16" 9/16)

When one thinks about the word “warbird”, one thinks of American, English, German or even Japanese airplanes and only rarely of French airplanes. One has to remember that those which survived, from the time of the French occupation to the French liberation, were all or practically all destroyed after the end of the war.

Fighters and bombers such as those by Bloch, Amiot et Olivier, Bréguet and others are real dinosaurs from the 20^th century – they all quickly disappeared from the surface of the Earth. The comparison is not an exaggeration when one considers that at only two or at most three fingers of a hand are necessary to count the rare number of complete machines on display. The rest only exist in small fragments or as a few precious scattered pieces that are jealously guarded by their owners.

Bearing all this in mind it is with great interest and no small amount of emotion that we announce having taken possession of a piece of a French airplane from the battle of France. The pleasure is even greater since this piece is a good size and it still has its original colours. These luckily are not the Vichy yellow and red which could have been the case for this piece, which is a part of the engine cowl from a Breguet 693.

Apart from its origin, this piece is interesting since it still has its original blue colour, its size is significant and it is in good condition with its cowl flaps still present and moving.

It is not a decorative piece by any means but that doesn’t matter – above all it is a relic, comparable to a tail prop of a Bloch 155, which unless I am mistaken, is on display at the Musée de l'Armée de l'Hôtel des Invalides (the Army Museum in Paris).

__________

Engine cowl from a Bréguet Br 693
Planes : length 102 cm (40.16"), width 110 cm (43.31")
Price : Sold

A very nice WWII piece

Amongst the new objects this September, here is one which merits having a few lines dedicated to it. This dashboard watch used to equip English Fairey Swordfish airplanes between the two World Wars. These airplanes were used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

The watch looks similar to French pilots' watches from the First World War. Yet this watch is more complex since it can also be used for navigation purposes. In fact the dial carries two types of inscriptions :
- The first bezel (fixed) has black writing on a white background and shows the time in Roman numerals topped by the second hand,
- The second rotating bezel has white writing on a black background and is graduated from 0 – 360 degrees for navigation purposes. The notched bezel locks and unlocks using a small knob found just above the watch next to the winder. It is only accessible once the watch has been taken out of its holder.

The holder is made up of several pieces and is made in a two-coloured bakelite and inscribed with “Time of Beacon North  seconds”. A screw allows the watch to be taken out of its holder which has a rubber protection obviously to protect it from vibrations.

The clock is in excellent condition and works perfectly. On the back of the case are the initials “H^S4” which defines it is a dashboard mounted watch. Only the bakelite holder has a small piece missing at the back and a few small cracks. Nevertheless is a very fine object and taken as a whole piece, it is particularly rare.

__________

Golay & Sons Ltd  Lodon - Montre de bord (circa 1944)
Outer ring diameter : 82 mm (16" 9/16) - Watch diameter : 62 mm (16" 9/16)
Price : Euros 450 (Currency assistant)

The name “Latécoère” cannot be said without also thinking of “Mermoz” and their great adventure in the Aeropostale. For fans of air transport and Air France, this name conjures up images of the Latécoère 631 – the largest sea plane ever built and used at that time for passenger transport.

But Latécoère wasn’t just concerned with civil aviation. The company also produced, with less success, military airplanes. The best known being undoubtedly the Latécoère 298, which from 1938 was to be found in several Naval Aviation squadrons in differing versions. This was the most built French seaplane ever built with about a hundred being produced.

Here is a presentation model created for the manufacturer circa 1936 and it is a real museum piece. The model is made from cast aluminium and has “Latécoère 298” on the base as well as the rudder. It is a representation of the prototype which led to the first version, the 298-A, a torpedo seaplane built for a team of three men. The model is shown here with its team under the fuselage.

Clic to enlarge

Taking into account its origin, the shape of the model is both simple and accurate. It is a very beautiful object with a contemporary shape and its creation has an undeniably Art Deco feel about it …

__________

Latécoère 298 - Factory model 1:30  (circa 1936)
Wingspan 51.5 cm (20" 1/4), length 42 cm (16" 9/16)

When one thinks about the word “warbird”, one thinks of American, English, German or even Japanese airplanes and only rarely of French airplanes. One has to remember that those which survived, from the time of the French occupation to the French liberation, were all or practically all destroyed after the end of the war.

Fighters and bombers such as those by Bloch, Amiot et Olivier, Bréguet and others are real dinosaurs from the 20^th century – they all quickly disappeared from the surface of the Earth. The comparison is not an exaggeration when one considers that at only two or at most three fingers of a hand are necessary to count the rare number of complete machines on display. The rest only exist in small fragments or as a few precious scattered pieces that are jealously guarded by their owners.

Bearing all this in mind it is with great interest and no small amount of emotion that we announce having taken possession of a piece of a French airplane from the battle of France. The pleasure is even greater since this piece is a good size and it still has its original colours. These luckily are not the Vichy yellow and red which could have been the case for this piece, which is a part of the engine cowl from a Breguet 693.

Apart from its origin, this piece is interesting since it still has its original blue colour, its size is significant and it is in good condition with its cowl flaps still present and moving.

It is not a decorative piece by any means but that doesn’t matter – above all it is a relic, comparable to a tail prop of a Bloch 155, which unless I am mistaken, is on display at the Musée de l'Armée de l'Hôtel des Invalides (the Army Museum in Paris).

__________

Engine cowl from a Bréguet Br 693
Planes : length 102 cm (40.16"), width 110 cm (43.31")
Price : Sold

The most built French seaplane

The name “Latécoère” cannot be said without also thinking of “Mermoz” and their great adventure in the Aeropostale. For fans of air transport and Air France, this name conjures up images of the Latécoère 631 – the largest sea plane ever built and used at that time for passenger transport.

But Latécoère wasn’t just concerned with civil aviation. The company also produced, with less success, military airplanes. The best known being undoubtedly the Latécoère 298, which from 1938 was to be found in several Naval Aviation squadrons in differing versions. This was the most built French seaplane ever built with about a hundred being produced.

Here is a presentation model created for the manufacturer circa 1936 and it is a real museum piece. The model is made from cast aluminium and has “Latécoère 298” on the base as well as the rudder. It is a representation of the prototype which led to the first version, the 298-A, a torpedo seaplane built for a team of three men. The model is shown here with its team under the fuselage.

Clic to enlarge

Taking into account its origin, the shape of the model is both simple and accurate. It is a very beautiful object with a contemporary shape and its creation has an undeniably Art Deco feel about it …

__________

Latécoère 298 - Factory model 1:30  (circa 1936)
Wingspan 51.5 cm (20" 1/4), length 42 cm (16" 9/16)

When one thinks about the word “warbird”, one thinks of American, English, German or even Japanese airplanes and only rarely of French airplanes. One has to remember that those which survived, from the time of the French occupation to the French liberation, were all or practically all destroyed after the end of the war.

Fighters and bombers such as those by Bloch, Amiot et Olivier, Bréguet and others are real dinosaurs from the 20^th century – they all quickly disappeared from the surface of the Earth. The comparison is not an exaggeration when one considers that at only two or at most three fingers of a hand are necessary to count the rare number of complete machines on display. The rest only exist in small fragments or as a few precious scattered pieces that are jealously guarded by their owners.

Bearing all this in mind it is with great interest and no small amount of emotion that we announce having taken possession of a piece of a French airplane from the battle of France. The pleasure is even greater since this piece is a good size and it still has its original colours. These luckily are not the Vichy yellow and red which could have been the case for this piece, which is a part of the engine cowl from a Breguet 693.

Apart from its origin, this piece is interesting since it still has its original blue colour, its size is significant and it is in good condition with its cowl flaps still present and moving.

It is not a decorative piece by any means but that doesn’t matter – above all it is a relic, comparable to a tail prop of a Bloch 155, which unless I am mistaken, is on display at the Musée de l'Armée de l'Hôtel des Invalides (the Army Museum in Paris).

__________

Engine cowl from a Bréguet Br 693
Planes : length 102 cm (40.16"), width 110 cm (43.31")
Price : Sold

Vae victis

When one thinks about the word “warbird”, one thinks of American, English, German or even Japanese airplanes and only rarely of French airplanes. One has to remember that those which survived, from the time of the French occupation to the French liberation, were all or practically all destroyed after the end of the war.

Fighters and bombers such as those by Bloch, Amiot et Olivier, Bréguet and others are real dinosaurs from the 20^th century – they all quickly disappeared from the surface of the Earth. The comparison is not an exaggeration when one considers that at only two or at most three fingers of a hand are necessary to count the rare number of complete machines on display. The rest only exist in small fragments or as a few precious scattered pieces that are jealously guarded by their owners.

Bearing all this in mind it is with great interest and no small amount of emotion that we announce having taken possession of a piece of a French airplane from the battle of France. The pleasure is even greater since this piece is a good size and it still has its original colours. These luckily are not the Vichy yellow and red which could have been the case for this piece, which is a part of the engine cowl from a Breguet 693.

Apart from its origin, this piece is interesting since it still has its original blue colour, its size is significant and it is in good condition with its cowl flaps still present and moving.

It is not a decorative piece by any means but that doesn’t matter – above all it is a relic, comparable to a tail prop of a Bloch 155, which unless I am mistaken, is on display at the Musée de l'Armée de l'Hôtel des Invalides (the Army Museum in Paris).

__________

Engine cowl from a Bréguet Br 693
Planes : length 102 cm (40.16"), width 110 cm (43.31")
Price : Sold